R. D. Zimmerman, award winning writer of adult novels and children's books. His latest book, "Innuendo," is the fifth book in the Todd Mills series. RD was outed at age 14 and returned to the closet for 20 years. He finally came out with his 9th book, "Closet." R.D. talks about writing about a gay hero. A previous book, "Outburst", dealt with a transgender person.

51:26

Boston area (and some national) announcements

55:38

Joel Shumacher*, writer, director and producer of MGM's new movie, "Flawless." Shumacher talks about his motives for making the movie, and his efforts to depict sympathetic characters while avoiding overt political content. Starring Robert DeNiro as an ultraconservative, bigoted New York City ex-security officer, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as a drag queen/transsexual, the movie depicts the coming together of two very unlikely characters. Walt Koontz (DeNiro) suffers a stroke which leaves him with partial paralysis. Refusing to leave his apartment for therapy, Walt very reluctantly agrees to a rehabilitative program that includes singing lessons with a performer who lives upstairs -- a street-tough drag queen named Rusty. What ensues is a somewhat predictable story that slightly advances tranny depiction in American film while still lagging far behind the insight and honesty of such foreign gems as "The Crying Game," "Stonewall," and "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert."
Movie Reviews:Salon: "lame stab at indie credibility"LA Times: "Moving, Violent Tale of Two Men's Unlikely Friendship"Film.com: "A Small-Scale Mess"Channel 2000: Unique De Niro Movie Not Quite 'Flawless'

86:50

End.

* A special "Thank You" to those who contributed to the purchase of our phone line interface unit which made the Shumacher interview possible.